Friday, February 03, 2017

Winter can be an amazing season for playing outdoors, provided you have all of the year you need to keep you warm and comfortable in the snow and cold temperatures. That includes a good set of baselayers, a warm coat, and of course a great pair of boots. But even the best boots can get soaked through after hours of fun in the snow, which can make putting them back on the next day for another outdoor excursion a dreadful affair. Fortunately, there is away to avoid that, and always have warm, dry boots at all times.

A company called DryGuy makes some excellent solutions for keeping your shoes and boots dry and comfortable all year round. Yes, their products are fantastic for use in the winter, but I've also found that they come in handy for drying my running shoes after a run in the rain or even a humid workout during the summer too. I've been using a couple of their products for awhile now, and have come to appreciate the simple joys of never having to worry about wet footwear ever again. Here are two devices that can help you achieve the same feeling.

Force Dry DX ($80)
DryGuy's flagship product is the Force Dry DX, a device that was specifically built to not only warm your boots, but dry-out your gloves and other gear too. This handy little machine uses the company's signature "forced air" process to blow heated air into your boots as a way to remove moisture without harming the shoes in any way.

It does this by first drawing air into the Force Dry DX, where it flows past a heading element, before being expelled into the shoes that are placed on its extension tubes, which have vents on the end. That heated air (warmed up to 105ºF/40.5ºC) then goes to work removing moisture from your boots, running shoes, or gloves, making them far more comfortable to put on again when you need them. The process takes between 1-3 hours to complete depending on the garment being dried and how soaked it is. But, once complete, the device not only removes the dampness, but also prevents the growth of bacteria and fungi that could lead to foul odors too.

The Force Dry DX includes four individual pillars built into the device, each of which can accept a show, glove, or other item. That means you can dry as many as two pairs of shoes at any given time. DryGuy even offers several accessories, such as a helmet holder or an adapter to dry your fishing waders, to extend the functionality of the machine a bit further. This helps to make this product an all around solution for keeping you warm and dry, no matter what your favorite outdoor activity happens to be.

The DryGuy team says that dry garments are 25 times warmer than wet ones. I don't know if that number is accurate, but anyone who has spent any time outdoors in wet shoes, socks, or gloves can tell you how uncomfortable that can be. Chances are, if you're outside in the winter, you'll experience this at some point in your life. But thanks to the Force Dry DX, you don't have to start your day out with wet feet before you've even gone outside. Simply set this gadget up in your garage or some out of the way corner, and let it work its magic. You'll be amazed at how useful it is not just in the winter, but all year round. And price at $80, it might be the best investment you've made in a long time as well.

Travel Dry DX ($40)
Of course, our outdoor adventures aren't just confined to when we're close at home. We often have to endure wet footwear while on the road too, which is why DryGuy has invented the Travel Dry DX, a portable version of the Force Dry DX that you can take with you anywhere.

The Travel Dry DX works under the same principle, but rather than placing your shoes on the drying pillars, it actually comes with two small devices that slide into your boots to help remove moisture in the same way. A small fan efficiently and silently draws air into a heating element, which then pushes it into the shoe to help dry it out. While not quite as warm as the more powerful Force Dry DX, the Travel Dry does accomplish the same task, albeit at a bit slower pace.

DryGuy thought ahead while designing the Travel Dry, allowing it to be powered by either AC wall outlet or by plugging it into the 12V DC outlet (read cigarette lighter) port in your car. This makes it easy to warm your boots while on the road, allowing you to even arrive at the ski resort or tail head with dry shoes. I would have liked to have seen an option to power this model with USB as well, which would make the use of a portable battery pack a viable one. But, I'm not sure how efficient that would be for using the Travel Dry DX for extended periods of time.

I had a chance to use this product last week while I was on the road in Aspen, Colorado attending the X Games, and have to say I was extremely glad to have it with me. At the end of a long day outside in the snow, my boots were indeed cold and damp. But, I simply dropped the Travel Dry DX heating elements into each shoe and let them run over night. The next day, they were dry and comfortable and ready to go once again. And at just $40, this is once again a very affordable option for frequent travelers.

On its website, DryGuy offers a few other options, including the Simple Dry, which is a basic boot dryer for $40. I haven't used that particular model, but from what I understand, it uses simple convection drying methods rather than the forced air method employed by the Force Dry DX. That means that it will remove the moisture from your footwear, but it isn't quite so fast and efficient. But unless you're on a strict budget, I'd recommend purchasing the flagship model, as you'll likely to be happier with its improved performance.

Find out more about these products, and all of the DryGuy line-up, at DryGuy.com.